Utilizing heat energy.



w. 0. BROWN. UTH .|ZING HEAT ENERGY. APPLICATION FILED JAN-31. I912.

Patented Sept. 7, 1915 2 SHEETSSHEET l.

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UTILIZING HEAT ENERGY. APPLICATION FILED IAN-3I, I9I2.

Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

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WILLIAM '0. BROWN, 0F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 HUMPHREY GAS PUMPCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

UTILIZING HEAT ENERGY.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7

Application filed January 31, 1912. Serial No. 674,508.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM C. BROWN, a citizen of the United States,residin at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, fate of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement for Utilizing Heat Energy, ofwhich the following is a specification My invention relates toimprovements in means for utilizing heat energy especially as applicableto the'moving of water, either to raise the same to a higher head orpressure, or to compress air, or otherwise store energy. My invention'is especially applicable to internal combustion engines, pumps andcompressors of the general type which are now known in the art as theHumphrey pump or compressor. One of the simplest forms of such a pumpcomprises, in operative relationship, a combustion, expansion, or powerchamber, a play pipe, a discharge, and alsoa source of liquid supply.The operation of this device, consists in utiliz- I ing the expansiveforce of a primary medium against a column of liquid, with or withv outan interposing piston, thereby causing an outstroke of the liquid alongthe play pipe to a greater head or pressure. When the momentum of theoutstroke of the liquid is spent the column returns in the play pipe inresponse to the head or pressure to which it has been driven, and liquidflows back to expel burnt products and to compress a fresh expansiblecharge. The object of the present invention is to increase theefficiency, as for example, to give a greater suction or lifting forceto the incoming liquid or water.

Where a pump of the class described has a suction lift, it is of coursenecessary to produce a tendency to vacuum in the play pipe, in order tolift the water to it, and

where air or other elastic cushion is used to start the return movementof the water column, the air in this cushion will normally have toexpand down to below atmospheric pressure before water will be lifted.This is undesirable in many cases, since it limits the practicability ofthe pump to very low suction lifts. By using a rigid piston between thewater column andthe compressedexpansible medium, this undesirablecondition is prevented and other advantages are secured.

Referring to the drawings, which show" merely by way of example,apparatus suitable for effecting my improved invention-' sor with myinvention applied thereto. The

expansion chamber 4 being provided with the usual inlet and dischargeports. This chamber delivers to the play pipe 5. The

- other end of the play pipe being the water discharge end, will bedescribed in connec tion with Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 2, 5 indicates a portion of the play pipe toward thewater or'discharge end of the apparatus. 6 indicates the dischargevalves, 7 the air chamber into which the water or other liquid isforced, 8 the discharge pipe, 9 a hollow piston adapted to reciprocatein the air chamber 10, communicating with the supplemental annular airchamber 11 through the ,ports 12. This piston 9 is connected with thevertical hollow rod 13 which communicates with the interior of piston 9and projects through the top of the chamber 10 through suitable packinIt will be understood that with each expansion of an expansible chargeor primary medium, at-the expansion or power chamber end of the playpipe, a column of liquid is forced outwardly toward the discharge end ofthe play pipe. This liquid column, coming in contact with the piston9,'will force it upwardly and compress the air in 10 and 11, untilthepressure in the play pipe reaches the pressure in the air cham- 'ber7 whereupon the discharge valves 6 will 'open, permitting the liquid toflow from'the play pipe into the air chamber 7, and thence throughdischarge pipe 8, until the liquid comes toya state of rest, that is,until the' momentum of theoutwardly moving liquid column is expended.The piston 9 due to the pressure stored above it, ,now forces theliquidback; causing the return, or instroke, the piston following up until itstrikes its It will thus be seen that the piston preventstheair'previously compressed in 10 and'11,

froni'expanding further, hence the formation of a vacuum in the playpipe by .the

.further movement of the liquid column after I piston 9 comes to rest.

'--as.inclosed in a water supply chamber 28 -The"s'uction or intakevalves 14: are shown towhich pipe 29 delivers. In Fig. 2 two pipes 29and 30 are shown connected to the chamber 28. The method or means ofsupplyin'gwater to chamber 28 is entirely immaterial-"to the presentinvention.

The construction of piston 9, while not necessarily hollow, is in thiscase' made hollow in order. to make it light for two purposes, one toreduce momentum and the other to make it lighter than the water so thatthere will be no tendency for'water to leak past. The air in the pistonalso helps the prevention of transfer of heat, the air being a goodnon-conductor. The piston is also provided with a dash-pot. Thehydraulic. dash-pot illustrated in Fig. 2 is secured by providing itslower extension of such formation that it cuts oif the flow of waterbetween it and the stationary seat 15, just before the shoulder 16 dropsonto the seat 15, thereby easing the shock of stopping the piston.

It is obvious that other forms of dash pot could be used, for example,such as shown in Fig. 3. i

In order to prevent the piston from striking the head an air cushion isalso provided at the upper end of chamber 10, which is formed by theupper end of the piston passing and closing the holes 12, beforereaching the top of chamber 10, thus shutting oil flow of air into theannular chamber 11.

'Itis frequently desirable Y to provide means for varying the capacityof the air chamber, or volume of the air cushion. In

the drawings are illustrated accomplishing thisobject.

In Fig. 2 the auxiliary annular chamber two means for .11 is adapted tobe filled with water to any point up to the openings 12. A glass gage 17on the outside of the apparatus shows the .level of this water, and anysuitable means, such asthe valve controlled supply pipe 26 and the valvecontrolled discharge pipe 27, are provided for raising and lowering itat will, In Fig. 3 means are shown for varying the capacity ofthechamber 20, for air or other elastic cushion, comprising theadjustable head 18 between the movable piston 19 and,

the fixed cylinder head 21. This head 18 slidable on piston rod. 22 andits position of adjustment issecured by the set-screws 23.

Piston rod 22 is also provided with a supplemental piston 24: operatingin the dash pot 25-.

It will be obvious that this means of utilizing an elastic cushion forsecuring the return-movement of the liquid column, without permittingsaid cushion to expand down to below atmospheric pressure, is

equally applicable to compressors, as indibetween thepiston and itsseat.

- 2. The combination of a power chamber, a play pipe and an air chamberconnected together for the reciprocation of liquid therein, a pistonseparating the liquid from the air and having limited movement in theair chamber, and a liquid dash pot pocket between the piston and itsseat.

3. The combination of a power chamber, a play pipe and an air chamberconnected together for the reciprocation of the liquid therein, a pistonseparatingthe liquid from the air provided with a lower extension ofreduced diameter having a close fit with the margin of its surroundingseat, so that the liquidis trapped in the pocket formed between thepiston shoulder and its seat, toward the end of its downward movement,to form a hydraulic dash pot.

.4. The combination of a power chamber, a play pipe and an air chamberconnected together for the reciprocation of liquid therein, apistonseparating'the liquid from the air and having limited movement in theair chamber, and a liquid dash potpocket between the' piston and itsseat, said piston so constructed that its weight shall be less than theweight ofan equal bulk of water.

5. The combination of a power chamber,

[a play pipe and an air chamber connected together for the reciprocationof liquid therein, a piston separating the liquid from the air andhaving limited movement in the .air chamber, and a liquid dash potpocket 6. The combinatio of a play pipe for the j reciprocation ofliqud, primary actuating means. connected therewith, a chamber for anexpansible medium, a valve controlled mlet m'the play plpe and a pistonof limita-tea V ited movement operating between the liquid theexpansible medium for'limiting the expansion thereof so that the furthermovement of the liquid due to momentum, shall create a tendency tovacuum to entrain fresh liquid or fluid, said piston made hollow inorder to reduce its momentum, to reduce the tendency of liquid to leakpast it and to serve as a non-conductor of heat.

(3. BROWN- Witnesses i LOUIS L. WATERS, FRANK PRESTON.

